Course info

Prerequisite: 9 credit hours of Sociology or permission of Instructor.

This course deals with the social constructionist approach to social problems. There are three units to this course. Units will focus on: I) the social construction of social problems; II) moral panics and social construction of problems; III) media and social problems. Lectures will draw together the common themes found in social constructionism and moral panics. Substantive topics of the course will include immigration, surveillance, raves, homelessness, and health panics. Media images and public relations will figure heavily into each unit.